“I’ve seen much worse deflections than that and they were still credited to the player who went for goal. It does irritate me, as I feel that the goal was mine. It left a bitter taste in the mouth, though it contributed to the victory and that’s all that counts.”

Zapata was on loan last season, but Milan made his move permanent over the summer and he thanks Massimiliano Allegri.

“He helped me a great deal, as I had lost my confidence in Spain and he brought it back. He knew which buttons to press.

“Would I rather have Balotelli or Higuain at Milan? I’ve had the good fortune to play with people like Radamel Falcao and Antonio Di Natale, but must admit the one who caused me the most problems in training was ‘El Loco,’ as I call Mario.”